[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 130 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E817-E818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EULOGIES FROM THE FUNERAL MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL FOR ANN O'CONNELL 
                                  LONG

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 26, 2021

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, on Saturday July 17, 2021, 
I had the honor of attending the funeral service for a dear friend and 
remarkable woman, Ann O'Connell Long. Below are the eulogies made by 
her three loving children Deirdre, Maura, and Michael, as well as her 
great friend Suzanna Nolan. I was touched by these remarks and wish to 
include them in the Record for her beloved husband Michael Long and 
their family.

                   Remarks by Deirdre Long Absolonne

       When I think of our mom, I think of faith, family, work, 
     quiet strength, beauty, and good humor. Mom's faith was 
     strong, but quiet. She didn't talk about it a lot--she simply 
     lived it.
       She grew up in Parkville with two pairs of shoes, and the 
     support of a community that populated the rest of her life. 
     She had happy memories of her childhood, including vacations 
     at Indian Neck, during which, ever the planner, she would lay 
     out her bathing suit and towel before going to bed each 
     night. When the other children would ask what she was doing, 
     she would explain that she was getting things ready for the 
     morning.
       She chose to stay close to her mom and attend Saint Francis 
     School of Nursing, one step in her lifelong relationship with 
     Saint Francis. While there, she met our dad, who became her 
     best friend and partner of 52 years. She loved to joke that 
     he married her for her money and she claimed at least some 
     credit for making Mike Long a Democrat.
       She stayed home with us when we were babies and, on my 
     fifth day of first grade, she resumed work full time. Nursing 
     was her vocation. Off she went at 7 am each day to help her 
     family and the sick. She came home every night and put a 
     balanced dinner on the table (a feat that now, as a working 
     mom, I see as nothing short of miraculous). Every week for 
     all those years, with the help of only her family, she 
     cleaned our home top to bottom (usually while singing). She 
     earned degrees and promotions along the way, while always 
     making her family feel that she had plenty of time for us.
       I am so fortunate that my relationship with Mom was 
     uncomplicated. It was comfortable, joyful, and good. She was 
     steadfast, understanding, occasionally mischievous, and 
     always just plain fun to be with. She really listened. And 
     she was always open to new experiences, perspectives, and 
     people.
       She enjoyed gathering with family and friends, and I know 
     she treasured her time with each of you. She liked design 
     magazines, good books, cute dogs, babies, massages, making 
     lists on index cards, and simple pleasures like sitting by 
     the fire, in the yard, or on the beach. As everyone who has 
     ever set foot in her home (or the home of someone she helped) 
     knows, she made everything beautiful. True to form, she spent 
     her final months helping all of us to be ready for this 
     morning.
       Perhaps most importantly, over all the years and through 
     all of life's ups and downs, she joked and laughed, early 
     often and easily.

                     Remarks by Maura Long Sheehan

       When I think of my mom, I see her smiling face with that 
     twinkle in her eye and it makes me smile too. She was warm 
     and loving, often laughing, and had a no-nonsense way of 
     making things happen.
       When I think back to my childhood, I remember Mom singing 
     along to John Denver when she was cleaning the house, baking 
     chocolate chip cookies for our Cape Cod vacations, and 
     highlighting textbooks while studying in bed at night. It 
     wasn't until I was much older that I realized how impressive 
     it was that she earned her bachelor's degree while raising 
     three young children and earned her master's degree while 
     working and raising three teenagers.
       As a child, I had no idea who I was dealing with. As an 
     adult, I realize how special she was. When I think about 
     Mom's life and accomplishments, it amazes me that she did it 
     all with such generosity, gratitude, and grace.
       I know many of you here felt her generosity first-hand, 
     whether it was kind words at just the right time, a homemade 
     loaf of Irish bread, or a helping hand with your home 
     improvements. At some point a few years ago I realized that 
     whenever Mom showed up for a visit, after she breezed in with 
     a smile, always bearing gifts of some sort, she would look me 
     in the eye and ask ``what can I do to help you?'' Having a 
     mother like that was a true gift.
       As for gratitude, Mom found the beauty in everything around 
     her and she knew how to have fun. She was full of joy and 
     always seemed to have time to relax and make new friends. She 
     made everyone feel special and she made it look easy. 
     Sometimes when I would call her and ask what she was doing, 
     she would laugh, tell me she had her feet curled up on the 
     sheepskin and that she was busy, ``cultivating gratitude''. 
     She laughed, but it worked.
       Mom's grace, and her genuine kindness, were evident her 
     entire life. She was a gracious hostess, and she truly 
     enjoyed entertaining small groups of friends for lunch or 
     dinner, having all her children and grandchildren under one 
     roof every summer on Martha's Vineyard, and hosting extended 
     family for tenderloin dinner (with those incredible 
     mushrooms) each Christmas season.
       Her grace, dignity, and strength were on full display this 
     past year as she continued to warmly welcome friends and 
     family for laughter-filled visits while quietly, through her 
     example, preparing all of us for what was to come.

                       Remarks by Michael B. Long

       When I think of Mom the first thing that comes to mind is 
     laughter and the second is the things she taught me. I recall 
     in particular a couple of sayings she would use and tell me 
     that Grammy O had taught her. One is, ``A place for 
     everything and everything in its place,'' the other, ``If ye 
     can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.''

[[Page E818]]

       One thing I learned at an early age was to look again. A 
     fly on the wall at 4 Maple Court in the mid 70's might have 
     heard something like this:
       ``Mom! There's no more bologna!'' ``Look in the meat 
     drawer.''
       ``I already did!''
       ``Look again.''
       ``Okay.''
       (pause)
       ``I found it!''
       I also learned that if I wasn't throwing up or didn't have 
     a fever, I wasn't sick. ``Get up. You're going to school.''
       If I ever complained about someone else doing a substandard 
     job, she'd chime in with, ``if you want something done right, 
     do it yourself.''
       She had a great sense of humor, and all we needed to get 
     each other in hysterics was a word or two, or just an eyebrow 
     raise.
       And when I commented on some accolade she'd received or 
     something clever she'd done, she'd graciously accept the 
     compliment. And then, a second or two later she'd say, ``They 
     don't pay me for my looks, you know!''
       Her kind spirit was always evident, and the aura of 
     positivity she radiated was irrepressible. Two instances in 
     particular come to mind:
       When we visited Grammy O at Saint Mary Home and walked in 
     the front door, Mom was all smiles. She greeted all the 
     residents in the lobby as well as each person we encountered 
     on the way to Gram's room, and their faces would just light 
     up. Those small acts of kindness make people's days, and for 
     her it was a matter of course, like eating or breathing.
       Another was when she visited California in 2003 to meet her 
     newest grandchild. A couple of friends met me at the house 
     before we went to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. We hung 
     out for an hour or so and had a nice little visit. On the way 
     to the show, both of my friends remarked about her aura of 
     positivity and kindness, and how much they'd enjoyed spending 
     time with her.
       Finally, she remarked on many occasions when we were on 
     vacation, that she always tried to leave the place she was 
     staying nicer than when she arrived.
       Mom left this place nicer than when she arrived.

                        Remarks by Suzanne Nolan

       Ann and I met in 2005 when I began work at St. Francis 
     Hospital as Director of Spiritual Care. As a new 
     administrator, I was so very fortunate that she took me under 
     her wing; I know so many of you also received from her an 
     embrace of sincere interest and genuine care for your well-
     being.
       Ann asked me to speak today about her time at St. Francis. 
     The factual parts of that are well known. Her personal impact 
     on her colleagues and staff was also remarkable. To try to 
     honor her legacy there, I talked to many people who worked 
     with her.
       So now I ask you to imagine a shimmering Waterford vase 
     filled with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, each flower a 
     phrase describing Ann as a nurse and nurse leader:
       --Incredibly strong woman
       --Could see the gift in someone, help that person to see 
     it, and help them to nurture it
       --Wonderful and supportive, especially in challenging 
     moments (this person told of a night years ago when she had 
     to transfer a heart transplant patient to Yale; Ann was the 
     night supervisor and helped every step of the way)
       --Consummate professional
       --Incredibly dedicated
       --Capable, competent
       --Respected nurse leader
       --One person described her approach through a Maya Angelou 
     quote: ``if you don't like something, change it. If you can't 
     change it, change your attitude.''
       --Honest when you messed up, and then helped you to create 
     the plan to go forward
       --Helped her staff feel secure in their important roles 
     even as the corporate model was increasing in the hospital
       --Special in so many ways
       --Persistent and tough; did the very challenging work of 
     bringing Continuing Care and Utilization and Social Services 
     together into the Case Management Department then became the 
     Director of that Department
       --Over the top in her generosity
       --She and Mike opened their home to provide a place for a 
     staff member's wedding
       --A wise mentor
       --Gentle sense of humor
       --Poked fun at herself
       --Ultimate hostess
       --A kind person, just so very kind
       And Ann, of course, throughout her working life, relished 
     being a loving wife, a beloved mother and grandmother.
       I believe God gave Ann extraordinary gifts in her ability 
     to love and to care deeply for others. Her trust in God, her 
     deep faith, enabled her to embrace these gifts and enrich so 
     many lives thus giving glory to God. We in this church, and 
     so many others, have been privileged to know Ann and to be 
     blessed by her presence. We miss her so much, and we are so 
     grateful to her.
       May you find comfort in these words of safe passages: 
     ``Rest assured that in her dying, in her flight through 
     darkness toward a new light, Ann held you in her arms and 
     carried your closeness with her. And when she arrived at God, 
     your image was imprinted on her joy-filled soul.''

                          ____________________